


Of Flamingos and Penguins

by GaeilgeRua



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Banter, Challenge Response, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Not Epilogue Compliant, Post Hogwarts AU, Washington D.C.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-09
Updated: 2017-11-09
Packaged: 2019-01-31 06:36:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12676383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GaeilgeRua/pseuds/GaeilgeRua
Summary: He didn't go with just a sweater, oh no, he went full out and was wearing a whole suit of Christmas ugliness.





	Of Flamingos and Penguins

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the 2017 Hermione's Holiday Hideaway hosted by Hermione's Haven Facebook group. We submitted three Hermione-centric pairings, a location, and a word prompt. In return, I received Hermione/Marcus Flint from my pairing list, Washington, D.C. for location, and ugly sweaters for word prompt.
> 
> Many thanks go to my alpha/beta, xxDustNight88, for her help with this fluffy little tale.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own any recognizable character from the HP world. I also do not own either of Hermione or Marcus's outfits or the holiday punch, links for all three can be found at the end.

        

Hermione looked up as she heard her fiancé enter the bedroom from the bathroom. "Are you ready to g…" She trailed off as she finally got a look at what he'd been hiding from her ever since the box arrived in the mail back in England two weeks ago.

They were supposed to be wearing ugly sweaters to his mum's party, but her fiancé took it one step further. He didn't go with just a sweater, oh no, he went full out and was wearing a whole suit of Christmas ugliness.

She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Oh my, where in Merlin's name did you find that thing?"

He grinned proudly. "I found it online."

Hermione grinned as she slid her foot into her snow boot and stood up. "I'm so proud of you, my Pure-blooded fiancé. Using a computer all on your own and you didn't even blow anything up!"

"Hardy har har," he replied as he walked over to her. "You think you're so funny, don't you, Miss Granger?"

"Of course I do, Mr Flint," she replied as she slid her arms into her sweater and disappeared among the colourful and feathery fabric. Her curly head popped out and she smirked at him. "Your mum thinks I'm funny and that's all that matters."

"You're right, love," Marcus agreed as he slipped his wand into his sleeve holster.

She straightened her own garish sweater and grinned cheekily. "I'm always right."

Marcus raised an eyebrow at her words. "Oh really?"

"Well, I'm right most of the time," she corrected.

"That's better." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Ready to go, love?"

She smiled and wrapped her arm around his waist. "Yes, let's go, because I cannot wait to see what your mum has to say about this festive suit of yours."

"Brat," Marcus said as he smacked her bum.

Hermione laughed as she darted away from him and over to where her heavy winter cloak was hanging in the hotel room's closet.

Ever since she and Marcus started dating almost four years ago, they decided that they would spend Christmas split between the cities their parents called home in the United States. They would then go back to England to spend New Year's with their friends.

This year they were spending Christmas Eve with Marcus's mum in Washington, D.C. and tomorrow they would Portkey to her parents' home, after having a quiet breakfast with Mrs Flint, to spend Christmas Day with them in Littleton, Colorado. The couple had ended up there not long after Hermione had sent them off to Australia and they found they were not suited for the warm climate. They had taken a chance and moved a second time in less than a year and had never looked back. Their small dental practice had been left to her dad and their partner when her mum had been asked to teach full time at the School of Dental Medicine for the University of Colorado's Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado. The next school year, their partner had full control of the practice and both her parents were ecstatic to be imparting their knowledge on the next generation of teeth healers as Marcus called them.

Hermione looked up as he donned a white fedora, completing the outrageous look he was sporting for the night. As she settled her cloak around her shoulders, she took a few moments to really look at him and realised that an ugly Christmas suit was perfect for him. He hated sweaters and how constricting they were with his larger frame. And while he currently had the shirt buttoned all the way and his tie straightened, she knew before the night was out that he would loosen his tie and a few of the buttons would be undone too.

Not that she would be complaining at seeing a bit of her lover's well-defined chest. She smirked.

Marcus noticed. "What's got you smirking?"

"Oh, nothing," she replied. "Just thinking."

"About what?" He cocked a dark eyebrow.

"You."

His other eyebrow joined the first. "What about me?"

"How much I love seeing your naked chest."

"Oh really? Well, we could always stay here," Marcus offered.

"We could," Hermione agreed as she started to move towards him, but at the last second she stepped to the side and picked up her handbag from the table. "But your mum would kill both of us if we didn't show up tonight. So we're going."

Marcus chuckled. "Very true. Do you have everything?"

Hermione nodded and led the way from their hotel room. Even though there was some snow already falling, the couple had decided that since his mum's flat was only a few blocks from their hotel that they would just walk and take in the wintery sights of Washington, D.C. at night. Marcus cast a quiet warming spell over them so they wouldn't get too cold.

They walked and chatted quietly as they pointed out different buildings to each other and soon found themselves in the foyer of the building where his mum lived. Hermione pulled out dry shoes for them to change into and stuffed their wet boots into a plastic bag inside the handbag she had to buy recently to replace her old one from when she had been on the run with Harry and Ron.

Once they reached the floor where she lived, removed their cloaks and Marcus knocked on the door.

"What's with the, what is it again?" Marcus gestured to her sweater as they waited for the door to his mum's home to open. "The pink bird."

"A flamingo."

Before he could say anything else, the door opened and Marcus's mum greeted them.

"Hermione, my dear! Welcome!" Mrs Flint said as she stepped back and let the couple enter. Closing the door behind them, she kissed both of Hermione's cheeks. "I love your sweater, but don't let Mrs Phillips see it. She absolutely loves flamingos. Now, what are you wearing, son?" She took a few moments to soak in what was before her. Her eyes lit up and she laughed. "I never would have thought I'd live to see the day that my own son would wear polar bears and Christmas trees!"

"And don't forget the penguins," Hermione whispered. "Oh, and he did this all on his own. I didn't even know about the suit until tonight."

Mrs Flint stood up on her toes and hugged Marcus.

It had been too long since he last saw her and he missed his mum's hugs. Marcus smiled to himself and eagerly returned her hug.

"Brilliant choice, my son. I love it." She kissed his cheek and stepping back, she clapped her hands. "Now, I want you two to go in and enjoy yourselves. And who knows! Maybe you'll win the sweater contest later."

Mrs Flint disappeared into the crowd, calling over her shoulder, "You know where everything is and don't forget to hang up your cloaks!"

Marcus placed their cloaks in the closet to his right as Hermione questioned, "Drinks?"

"Yes, and you get food. I'll meet you over there," Marcus replied as he nodded towards the windows overlooking the twinkling skyline.

A few minutes later, the young couple was enjoying the delicious food his mum provided and the festive holiday punch. Wanting to continue their conversation from earlier, Marcus asked, "What's with the flamingo? It doesn't scream Christmas to me."

Hermione laughed. "Long story short, when I was a little girl, my dad's brother and sister had this war going on where they would put these lawn decorations in the shape of flamingos in each other's yards. It went on for years and even though my aunt has passed away, we still give my uncle a hard time every once in awhile with a new flamingo ornament for his tree."

Marcus shook his head. "Crazy Muggles."

"No, crazy Grangers is more like," Hermione said, laughing.

**Author's Note:**

> Link to Marcus's suit can be found here: https://www.shinesty.com/products/white-fair-isle-party-blazer?col=ugly-christmas-suits-and-dresses&pos=10
> 
> Link to Hermione's sweater can be found here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/216166433/3-d-pink-flamingo-tacky-ugly-christmas?utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share
> 
> Recipe for the holiday punch can be found here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/holiday-party-punch-recipe-1949392


End file.
